Improvement in seed-separators



JOHN L. OATCHPOLE, FRAMSDEN, AND GEORGE F. STIDOLPH AND 'NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS FQSTIDOLPTLOE WOODBRIDGE, GREAT BRITAIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEE`DSEPRATORS Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 171,502, dated December 28, 1875; application led September 28, 1875.

' To all whom it may concern:

' ofthe said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof-that is to say:

This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for separating bodies of different shapes and sizes, more especially applicable for cleaning seed.

The apparatus consists of a case having an inclined bottom, in which case are fixed inclined shelves.v The shelves are arranged one above another in such manner that the botltom of each is not vertically over the top of the next, but leaves a small space between.

When cleaning seed the seed is fed into the case by a hopper, Iand falls onto the top shelf, along which it travels, and then falls onto the second sh elf,'and from thence to the third, and so on. The good seed, being rounded and heavier than the dross, travels with a greater velocity, and is able to jump over the space between the shelves, while the dross,

traveling slower, drops down between the shelves, and falls onto the bottom of the case, from whence it is removed. The good seed is collected from the bottom shelf.

If required, the shelves may be covered with cloth or other suitable material, so as to give more friction, and thus retard the rough impurities.

The apparatus is especially adapted for cleaning clover-seed, which is a round seed, and, as collected, is commonly mixed with plantain-seed,`which is longer and lighter than the clover-seed. Other seeds, coals, and a1- most every sort of body, `can be cleaned in' this machine.

In order that our invention may be most fully understood and readily carried into leffeet, we will describe the drawing hereunto annexed. y

The -figure shows a vertical section of the apparatus.

a is the case, with an inclined bottom. b are the inclined shelves. These shelves are, by preference, fixed to two side boards, c,

thereby forming a sort of ladder, which is hinged to the case at d, so that by raising orl lowering the lower end of the ladder the inclination ofthe shelves can be altered to suit different sorts of seeds and other bodies. eis a stop, pivoted at one end, and there locked by a nut, and which serves to support the ladder at any desired elevation. The ladder can readily be removed by taking out the pin on which it is hinged, and another ladder can be substituted, so that various sets of shelves, each suited to one particular sort of seed or other body, may be used in one outer oase. For example, for clover seed we prefer to have the shelves covered with cloth, whereas for grass-seed we use plain board. In some cases, for very dirty seed, we make the shelves, or some of them, of wire-gauze. f is the hopper, and h is an inclined shelf, onto which the seed drops from the hopper. This shelf is hinged at its upper end, so that its height and inclination may be varied to suit different sorts of seeds and other bodies by giving them different initial velocities. It is supported in position by a stop similar to the stop c, which supports the shelves. ggare two holes in the bottom of the case for the dross to run out of. The lower one is provided with a hinged stop, or otherwise, which projects slightly into the case, thus preventing the dross from mixing with the good seed which iiows out at the end.

Having thus described the nature of our said invention, and the manner of performing the same, we would have it understood that what we claim is- 1. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the case, its inclined bottom, and the inclined shelves, arranged, as described, in a step-like series above the bottom of the case, and having vertical spaces between them, communicating with i an inclined passage way one below the other, with spaces between them, from the bottom into and the stop projecting the case, for the purpose specified.

JOHN LAST OATCHPOLE. G. F. STIDOLPH.

T. F. STI Witnesses DOLPH.

WILMER M. HARRIS,

J. B. WYNN, Both of No. 17 Gmcao hwch Street,

London, E. 0. 

